Olhanense manager Vasco Faísca was forced to make two changes to his starting line-up for the home game against Sacavenense.
Zack Muscat was on international duty for Malta in their Euro2020 qualifiers against Spain and Norway whilst 19-year-old Leandro Lelo – a product of the Olhanense youth squad – was called up to the Portugal U20 squad for their games against England and Germany.
Rafael Tavares and Rafael Floro were the replacement but Floro limped off after 20 minutes to be replaced by Fábio.
Olhanense, on a run of five consecutive home wins, might have been expecting a comfortable afternoon against a side yet to pick-up a point away from home, but the visitors had other ideas. Whilst Olhanense had the majority of possession, they failed to stamp their authority on the game even when Sacavenense had Carlos Pinto sent-off just before the interval, having picked up two yellow cards in the space of four minutes!
The deadlock was broken 10 minutes after the break when João Vasco surged through midfield and, with several options open to him, slipped the ball to the right for Caleb to blast home past keeper Tiago Mota.
The home side pushed men forward hoping to kill off the game, but the final pass or wasteful finishing were sadly wanting. In a frenetic few minutes, Sacavenense came close to snatching a late equaliser as keeper Tiago Mota joined his attack for a series of corners, but the home fans gave a collective sigh of relief as referee Diogo Rosa blew the final whistle.
The single goal victory keeps Olhanense four points clear at the top of the Campeonato de Portugal Division D ahead of Real SC (Queluz, Sintra).
Olhanense have no game this weekend but travel to Vila Franca to play third place FC Alverca on December 1.
By CHRIS WRIGHT
